Shake-up pays dividends for White Sox
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Alexei Ramirez, left, Alejandro De Aza, center, and Alex Rios celebrate after the White Sox beat the Mets on Wednesday in New York. The White Sox won 6-3. Associated Press |
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Alex Rios hits a solo home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field, Wednesday, May 8, 2013, in New York. The White Sox won 6-3. Associated Press |
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White Sox second baseman Tyler Greene, right, turns a double play as New York Mets' David Wright slides into second base during the fourth inning of a baseball game at Citi Field, Wednesday, May 8, 2013, in New York. Associated Press |
All things considered — the injuries, lack of offense, sloppy baserunning, poor fielding — it wasn't a horrible road trip for the White Sox.
Wrapping up an eight-game visit to Texas, Kansas City and New York on Wednesday night, manager Robin Ventura shook up his stagnant lineup and sat back and watched the Sox finally string some hits together in a 6-3 interleague win over the Mets.
The White Sox finished the trip 4-4.
Ventura sat two of his struggling hitters, Adam Dunn (. 145) and Jeff Keppinger (. 191). He moved Alexei Ramirez up to Keppinger's customary No. 2 hole and inserted Conor Gillaspie in Dunn's cleanup spot.
Ramirez was 1-for-5 with a run scored, and Gillaspie (2-for-4, 2 RBI) continued to impress.
So did Jake Peavy (4-1), who missed his last start with back spasms. The right-hander pitched 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 3 hits.
"It starts with pitching and Jake had a great game," Ventura told reporters. "He held them pretty much without anything early. That started it and we got a couple hits.
"They swung the bats tonight. After a night like (Tuesday), you still have to come out and grind and work at it, get after it. Lineup changes are always going to happen."
On Tuesday, budding Mets star Matt Harvey flirted with a perfect game until Alex Rios ended the bid with an infield single with two outs in the seventh inning.
That was the White Sox' only hit in a 1-0 loss to New York in 10 innings.
On Wednesday, struggling leadoff man Alejandro De Aza got the Sox off to a positive start when he opened the game with a home run off Mets starter Jeremy Hefner (0-4).
New York tied it in the second inning when Peavy served up a homer to Lucas Duda, but the White Sox went ahead for good with 3 runs in the third inning. The rally was powered by 4 straight hits, a season high, capped by Gillaspie's 2-run double.
Ozzie speaks:
Former White Sox shortstop/manager Ozzie Guillen appeared on AM-1000 radio Wednesday afternoon to promote his charity event, scheduled for May 29 at The Grid.
Guillen also talked some baseball, and host Tom Waddle asked if he was expecting to have a day of honor at U.S. Cellular Field considering he managed the Sox to the 2005 World Series championship and had a long, successful run as a player.
Guillen has been asked the question before, and he gave a similar answer.
"If they want to do something, I hope they do it before I die," Guillen said. "That's up to them. People forget I played there for 13 years. I don't have anything against the White Sox."
Fired as Miami Marlins last season after only one year on the job, Guillen said he wants to return to baseball.
"I'm a free agent and I'd like to be back in the game," said Guillen, who is also open to coaching third or first base.
